Cephalus and Procris 1595 - 1631

Editor: This engraving is called *Cephalus and Procris*, created sometime between 1595 and 1631 by Johann Liss. The level of detail using just line work is pretty impressive. There’s definitely a tragic feel to it, maybe because of the woman reclined on the bed with that sorrowful gaze. What story do you think Liss is trying to tell us? Curator: Ah, it *does* whisper a tragedy, doesn’t it? Think of this: Liss was living in a world grappling with grand narratives, Baroque drama turned up to eleven! This is the story of Cephalus and Procris. He's holding what is assumedly a shrouded head, and offering his hand, pleading. He accidentally killed her— talk about an 'oops' moment magnified by eternity! What do you make of his gesture, and the way Procris is arranged in her bed? Editor: It feels performative, his gesture, and her pose seems unnatural, almost theatrical. Is he trying to be repentant? Or is it something else? Curator: Exactly! Repentance… or perhaps a desperate attempt at justification? Notice how Liss uses light and shadow—the strong diagonal lines—to intensify the drama. Is it not visually similar to theatre? Almost staged, wouldn’t you say? That’s classic Baroque. Editor: Definitely. It's interesting to think of the artist seeing the figures almost as characters on a stage. I initially thought it was simply a sorrowful scene, but I can now read the underlying tensions and calculated poses that are more performative than sincere. Thanks for the insights. Curator: You know, art is a dance between what the artist offers, and what *we* discover. Every viewing unveils a new act. The stage is yours to fill as you wish, and in a moment unique to you.